The orchid flora of Cocos Island National Park ... - Epidendra

Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 166, 20–39. With 7 figures 

The orchid flora of Cocos Island National Park, 

Puntarenas, Costa Rica 

DIEGO BOGARÍN 1 *, JORGE WARNER 1 , MARTYN POWELL 2 and 

VINCENT SAVOLAINEN 2,3 

1 Jardín Botánico Lankester, Universidad de Costa Rica. P.O. Box 302-7050 Cartago, Costa Rica, A.C. 

2 Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK 

3 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Middlesex, TW9 3DS, UK 

Received 13 January 2011; revised 31 January 2011; accepted for publication 2 February 2011 

The orchid flora of Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica is described based on field collections and herbarium 

sampling. Cocos Island is an oceanic island situated 550 km south-west of Puntarenas (the main Costa Rican port 

on the Pacific coast) and 680 km north-east of the Galápagos Islands. Five species of orchids were recorded in this 

small area of 24 km 2 : Camaridium micranthum and Ornithidium adendrobium (both formerly included in 

Maxillaria) and three endemic species of Epidendrum (E. cocoense, E. insulanum and E. jimenezii). The species are 

described and analytical illustrations are provided for each. A key to the species for field identification based on 

morphology is presented. Biogeography, ecology, taxonomy, evolution and conservation status of the species are also 

discussed. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 166, 20–39. 

ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: Camaridium – Epidendrum – floristics – Maxillaria – oceanic islands – 

Orchidaceae – Ornithidium – protected areas – taxonomy. 

INTRODUCTION 

Isla del Coco, also known as Cocos Island, is an 

oceanic island in the south-eastern tropical Pacific 

Ocean (5°31′39″N, 87°03′32″W), situated 550 km 

south-west of Puntarenas, the main port of Costa Rica 

on the Pacific coast (Fig. 1). The nearest continental 

point is Cabo Blanco on the Península de Nicoya, 

Costa Rica, 532 km from the island. Other oceanic 

islands relatively near Cocos Island are Isla Pinta of 

the Galápagos archipelago (Ecuador) at 681 km, Isla 

Malpelo (Colombia) at 630 km, Isla Coiba (Panama) 

at 632 km and Clipperton Island (Île de Clipperton or 

Île de la Passion, France) at 2375 km. 

Cocos Island became part of Costa Rica in 1869, 

when President Jesús Jiménez decreed it as national 

territory. At that time, the island was uninhabited and 

had never been claimed by any other country. Its name 

was probably a mistranscription from the original map 

*Corresponding author. E-mail: diego.bogarin@ucr.ac.cr 

20 

by the French cartographer Nicolas Desliens in 1541, 

in which the island appeared (for first time) as ‘Y e 

Coques’ (Hogue & Miller, 1981; Trusty, 2004). In 

French, the word ‘coque’ means eggshell or nutshell 

and the name could have been a reference to the 

common fruit of the abundant endemic tree Sacoglottis 

holdridgei Cuatrec. (Humiriaceae). 

In 1978, under the government of President 

Rodrigo Carazo, the island was decreed a National 

Park and a zone of absolute protection. Administratively, 

the area belongs to the Area de Conservación 

Marina Isla del Coco (ACMIC) of the Costa Rican 

Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications 

(MINAET) and its National System of Conservation 

Areas (SINAC). Later, in 1997 the island 

became a UNESCO-designated World Natural Heritage 

Site in recognition of its exceptional biodiversity. 

In 2002, the World Natural Heritage Site designation 

was extended to include an expanded marine zone 

of 1997 km 2 , thus protecting marine ecosystems, 

populations of sharks, rays, dolphins and other large 

marine species. In addition, in 1998 the island was 

© 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 166, 20–39

© 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 166, 20–39 

ORCHID FLORA OF COCOS ISLAND 21 

Figure 1. Map of Cocos Island showing collecting sites. Scale 1 : 25 000.

22 D. BOGARÍN ET AL. 

included in the list of Wetlands of International 

Importance under the RAMSAR Convention. 

TOPOGRAPHY 

The total land area is 24.85 km2 (c. 7.6 ¥ 4.4 km) with 

the following limits: to the north Punta Agujas, to the 

south Cabo Dampier, to the west Cabo Lionel and to 

the east Cabo Atrevido (Fig. 1). The topography is 

abrupt with high slopes and cliffs. The highest point 

is Cerro Iglesias, observable as a cloudy mountain 

rising 575 m above sea level. Other important hills 

are Cerro Pelón at 530 m and Cerro Jesús Jiménez at 

430 m of elevation. Some flat areas are observed in 

the region called Llanos Palo de Hierro at 300 m 

elevation (Fig. 1). The island has four bays: Iglesias, 

Weston, Chatham and Wafer. The later two are the 

most important for boats and crafts and have the 

main ranger stations. The most important rivers are: 

the Genio to the north-east that flows into Wafer Bay, 

the Chatham River that flows into Chatham Bay and 

the Iglesias to the south, which terminates in Iglesias 

Bay. The irregular topography produces many waterfalls 

because of the vertical cliffs and high water 

availability in the soil. 

GEOLOGY 

Cocos Island emerged from the ocean through volcanic 

activity of the submarine mountain range called 

the Cocos Ridge. The ridge was formed in the Miocene 

by tectonic movements of the Cocos and Nazca plates 

and volcanic action of the Galápagos hotspot. These 

geological events occurred along the Pacific Ocean 

near South America. Then, the island moved to the 

north as a result of the action of the Cocos and Nazca 

plates. Geologists have estimated the age of the 

island to be 1.9–2.4 million years (Bellon, Sáenz & 

Tournon, 1984). The soils are composed of basaltic 

and pyroclastic alkaline rocks, the remains of ancient 

volcanic activity. However, the acidic condition is 

caused by the degradation of organic material under 

high humidity and the consequent action of bacteria 

and fungi (Trusty, 2004). 

CLIMATE 

The island is under the influence of the Intertropical 

Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and receives other climatic 

influences such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation 

(ENSO). The climate of the island was discussed by 

Alfaro (2008) and Lizano (2008). A complex system of 

marine currents originating in America and the Indo- 

Pacific region flows around the island, thus influencing 

its climate (Lizano, 2008). The island experiences 

high rainfall, which can reach 7000 mm per year. 

Cocos is the only island in the tropical eastern Pacific 

with a tropical humid forest. According to Tosi (1969), 

the life zone is the premontane belt forest, basal belt 

transition. The period of high rainfall is between May 

and October. There is no true dry season but rainfall 

is slightly lower from November to March (Alfaro, 

2008). The average temperature is approximately 

27–28 °C. These climatic factors allow the establishment 

of plants such as bromeliads, ferns and epiphytic 

orchids. 

BIODIVERSITY 

The biodiversity of Cocos Island includes both marine 

and terrestrial ecosystems. Marine biodiversity is the 

main attraction for touristic and scientific activities. 

This place is an important breeding site for many 

species. The migration and reproduction of sharks is 

one of the most spectacular marine attractions for 

divers. It is possible to observe the rare and endangered 

whale shark (Rhincodon typus) and large populations 

of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewinni), the 

marine emblem of the island. The history of marine 

research at Cocos Island was reviewed recently by 

Cortés (2008). Terrestrial biodiversity is also important. 

According to the most recent botanical treatment 

of the island by Trusty, Kesler & Haug Delgado 

(2006), there are 262 species of plants, of which 37 

(approximately 14%) are endemic. Among the terrestrial 

fauna, there are 382 species of insects, five 

species of reptiles, one scorpion and 12 species of 

birds, including the endemic Coco finch, Pinaroloxias 

inornata. There is a low elevation rainforest formed 

mainly by the endemic tree Sacoglottis holdridgei. At 

the highest points (i.e. Cerro Iglesias), there is a high 

elevation cloud forest. Other important plant communities 

are the riparian habitats, estuarine habitats, 

coastal cliff communities, shore vegetation, landslides 

and rocky islets that have sparse grassy vegetation 

and scattered trees of Clusia rosea Jacq. These plant 

associations were defined and characterized by Trusty 

(2004). Detailed information on climate, geology, 

human impacts and introduced animals and plants 

can be found in Trusty (2004) and Trusty et al. (2006). 

THE HISTORY OF COCOS ISLAND ORCHIDS 

The first recorded visit to Cocos Island was in 1526, 

when the Spanish explorer Joan Cabeças reached the 

island. Since then, mariners and pirates have known 

the island and it became popular because of traditional 

stories of treasure supposedly buried there. 

According to the legend, two treasures have been 

hidden on Cocos Island: firstly, the pirate Bennett 

Graham (Benito Bonito) of the Relámpago, who looted 

several cities around South America, is reputed to 


have kept his treasure in an unknown place on the 

island (Hogue & Miller, 1981; Trusty, 2004) and, secondly, 

the ‘treasure of Lima’ of Captain Thompson of 

the Mary Dear may be on Cocos, including priceless 

gold and jewels from Peru. Following these tales, 

people looking for treasures made > 400 expeditions 

to the island and Cocos is therefore also well known 

as the ‘treasure island’. 

In spite of these hundreds of expeditions, plant 

collections only started in 1836 when the English 

collector George W. Barclay visited Cocos Island as 

part of an exploration of the Pacific coast aboard 

H.M.S. Sulphur, commanded by Captain Sir Edward 

Belcher (Bentham, 1844–1846). However, in their 

botanical treatment they did not report or describe 

any orchid species. After Barclay’s expedition, the 

marine zoologist and oceanographer Alexander 

Agassiz collected plants during the late 19 th century 

(1888 and 1891). Aboard the Albatross, he visited 

Cocos Island on his way to the Galápagos. He collected 

Epidendrum insulanum Schltr. (then undescribed), 

the first orchid specimen collected in the 

island (Agassiz s.n., GH). 

In 1898, the government of President Rafael Yglesias 

sponsored the first Costa Rican expedition. He 

assigned to the scientists Anastasio Alfaro and Henry 

Pittier the task of assessing the island in order for 

it to be reopened as a penal center (Pittier, 1898). 

They went aboard the Poás and collected plants 

and animals. Four years later, on a second trip in 

1902, together with Paul Biolley, aboard the Turrialba, 

Pittier collected two specimens of Epidendrum 

L. One was the first orchid species described from the 

island, published by R. Schlechter as E. insulanum 

in Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt in 1918. 

Unfortunately, the specimen studied by Schlechter 

was destroyed in the Dahlem-Berlin Herbarium 

during the Second World War and there is no indication 

that Schlechter received more than one specimen 

from Pittier. However, Pittier prepared at least five 

duplicates; two are kept at the herbarium of the 

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (CR) and three at 

Oakes Ames Orchid Herbarium of Harvard University 

(AMES), GH-3581 (=AMES-70445), GH-3579 

(=AMES-70446) and the lectotype designated by 

Trusty & Blanco (2005) GH-3580 (=AMES-73449). 

These specimens are available under Pittier n. 16350 

(Institute. Phys. Geogr. Cost.); the same number is 

cited by Schlechter (1918) in the protologue. A sheet 

with tracings of Schlechter’s drawing of the holotype 

is also kept at AMES (AMES-70447). The second 

species recorded by Pittier correspond to at least two 

plants of E. cocoense Hágsater (then undescribed) 

kept at AMES under Pittier n. 16351 (Institute. Phys. 

Geogr. Cost.). Hágsater (1999a) identified the specimens 

as E. cocoense. As Schlechter did not mention 


any of these specimens or describe another species, it 

is probable that Pittier did not send any more specimens 

to Berlin, but no information is available to 

clarify this situation. 

Robert E. Snodgrass and Edmund Heller in the 

Hopkins-Stanford Expedition made another expedition 

in 1899. Alban Stewart collected again for the 

California Academy of Sciences in 1905. Then, Henry 

Knute Svenson, who was the curator of Brooklyn 

Botanical Garden, New York, spent 3 days collecting 

plants in the island as the chief botanist on the 

Vincent Astor Expedition in April 1930 (Svenson, 

1935). Svenson found what is now the type specimen 

of E. cocoense growing by a stream flowing into Wafer 

Bay (H. K. Svenson 333, AMES-37853); the species 

was later described by Hágsater (1999a). Svenson 

prepared two duplicates; one is at AMES and the 

other at Chicago (F). 

Svenson was the first to collect specimens of Camaridium 

Lindl. (the specimens from the island were 

formerly included in Maxillaria Ruiz & Pav.). They 

were misidentified under the names M. concavilabia 

Ames & Correll and Ornithidium aff. stenophyllum 

Schltr. In 1994, John T. Atwood identified the 

specimens as M. parviflora (Poepp. & Endl.) 

Garay (=Camaridium micranthum M.A.Blanco, see 

Discussion). 

Two years after Svenson’s trip, the American botanist 

John Thomas Howell explored the island on The 

Templeton Crocker Expedition sponsored by the California 

Academy of Sciences. He collected another 

specimen of E. cocoense erroneously identified as E. 

ramosum Jacq. var. imbricatum Ames, F.T.Hubb. & 

C.Schweinf. Later, President Cruise of the USA made 

other expeditions from 1935 to 1940. 

The Costa Rican botanist and ex-director of the 

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, Juvenal Valerio 

Rodríguez, went to the island on two expeditions 

during 1939 and 1940. He collected C. micranthum 

(misidentified as Maxillaria variabilis Bateman ex 

Lindl) and another specimen of E. cocoense was collected 

in his second trip. 

Witold L. Klawe, a fishery researcher, collected 

plants as part of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna 

Commission aboard the Costa Rica Dome Cruise in 

1959. He collected E. cocoense, wrongly identified 

under the names E. paranaense Barb. Rodr. and E. 

santaclarense Ames. 

Hágsater (1999b) described the last species known 

from the island under the name E. jimenezii. The 

species honours Alfonso Jiménez, ex-director of the 

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, who collected the type 

specimen in 1965 (A. Jiménez 3178, CR). He stated 

that the plant had white flowers and it is apparently 

a common epiphyte along the Genio River, near its 

mouth into Wafer Bay. 



In 1967, the botanists Ira L. Wiggins and Duncan 

M. Porter, who worked on the Flora of the Galápagos 

Islands, collected specimens of E. insulanum (Hágsater, 

2007). Luis D. Gómez went to the island in 1970 

and made another collection of E. cocoense from the 

forest of Wafer Bay. 

After many expeditions, the number of species of 

the island remained unclear. In 1973, in a trip organized 

by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 

Robert L. Dressler collected an Epidendrum, identified 

by Hágsater as E. jimenezii (Dressler 4468, PMA- 

36761), but a duplicate kept at CR (Dressler 4468, 

CR) could be an E. insulanum as noted by Trusty & 

Blanco (2006). A mixed collection was probably made 

under the same number, demonstrating the difficulties 

in identifying those species without flowers as 

their vegetative features are highly variable. Another 

sample of E. cocoense was collected and a new record, 

Ornithidium adendrobium (Rchb.f.) M.A.Blanco & 

Ojeda (formerly known as Maxillaria adendrobium 

(Rchb.f.) Dressler) was found near Wafer Bay. This 

widespread species ranges in both continental and 

insular lands around the Neotropics. In 1865, Heinrich 

G. Reichenbach described it as Ponera adendrobium 

Rchb.f. based on a collection of Charles Wright 

in Cuba. 

In 1979, Robin Foster collected an interesting Epidendrum 

in the floodplain of Genio River. It seems to 

be an example of E. insulanum, but Hágsater cited 

it as E. jimenezii (Hágsater, 1999b). In 1980, Pablo 

Sánchez-Vindas collected E. cocoense and in 1981 

Jorge Gómez-Laurito collected E. jimenezii (wrongly 

identified as Epidendrum imbricatum Lam.) and 

another E. insulanum. He also collected E. cocoense, 

and Luis D. Gómez collected M. parviflora in the 

same year. In 1989, R. Soto collected E. cocoense, O. 

adendrobium and other two specimens of C. micranthum. 

Other collections were made in 1994 by the 

researchers of Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad 

(INBio). However, they reported the same five 

species. With the description of E. cocoense and 

E. jimenezii by Hágsater (1999b), the orchid flora of 

Cocos Island is made up of three endemic species of 

Epidendrum (E. cocoense, E. insulanum and E. jimenezii), 

one species of Camaridium, C. micranthum, 

and one species of Ornithidium, O. adendrobium 

(Dressler, 2003). The two former species are also 

found in continental parts of the Neotropics. 

Recently, Trusty and co-workers (Trusty, 2004; 

Trusty & Blanco, 2005, 2006; Trusty et al., 2006) 

finished their floristic treatment of the Cocos Island 

National Park. They reported the same five species 

for the island. However, they were unable to locate 

material of E. jimenezii, and consequently they could 

not distinguish this species from E. insulanum 

(Trusty & Blanco, 2006). 

The aim of this paper is to present detailed information 

for identifying the orchids of Cocos Island, to 

provide illustrations of the five species based on living 

plants (two of them are illustrated for a first time) 

and to discuss the identity of the rare E. jimenezii. 

This work is part of a series of floristic studies 

intended to clarify the diversity and taxonomy of 

Orchidaceae in Costa Rica (e.g. Pupulin, 2010) and its 

national parks and protected areas (Pupulin, 1998; 

Bogarín & Pupulin, 2007). 

MATERIAL AND METHODS 

This work was conducted mainly in the Cocos Island 

National Park, Puntarenas, Costa Rica and the 

Lankester Botanical Garden (LBG), University of 

Costa Rica. Living specimens were collected, cultivated 

and documented between 2006 and 2009. Data 

from all specimens cited have been recorded in a 

computerized database at LBG. They are also available 

on the website at http://www.epidendra.org 

(Pupulin, 2007; Pupulin, 2009). Georeferences for 

specimens were obtained using a Garmin eTrex Vista 

GPS and maps. Ecological zones were estimated by 

using the Holdridge Life Zone System (Holdridge, 

1967, 1987) and the ecological map of Costa Rica 

(Tosi, 1969). 

Phenology data were recorded both in the field and 

in cultivated specimens or herbarium labels. Individual 

plants were photographed, illustrated and 

preserved as herbarium specimens and preserved 

specimens in formaldehyde : acetic acid : ethanol 

[FAA (53% ethanol, 37% water, 5% formaldehyde and 

5% glycerol)] (including flowers, portions of the stems 

or entire plants) for future reference. Newly collected 

herbarium specimens were deposited at CR, JBL and 

USJ herbaria. Whenever possible, the herbarium 

specimens were complemented with sketches, photographs 

and FAA material. The material preserved in 

FAA was deposited at JBL and indicated in the treatment 

as ‘JBL-spirit’. Herbarium and spirit material 

may consist of wild collected specimens or material 

collected entirely from cultivated plants. 

Sketches of specimens were made with a Leica 

MZ7.5 stereomicroscope with drawing tube and conserved 

in the reference collections at JBL. All taxa 

were illustrated by composite line drawings from 

living specimens. Illustrations include a typical plant 

habit, inflorescences or part of the inflorescences, the 

flower and a dissection of perianth. Plate composition 

was as consistent as possible to facilitate species 

comparison. 

Descriptions were prepared from both living specimens 

and herbarium material. Materials from the 

following herbaria were studied: AMES, BM, CAS, 

CR, INB, JBL, K, PMA and USJ. 


KEY TO THE ORCHIDS OF THE COCOS ISLAND NATIONAL PARK 

LIST OF SPECIES 

1. CAMARIDIUM LINDL. 

CAMARIDIUM LINDL., Bot. Reg. 10: sub t. 844. 1824. 

Type species: Camaridium ochroleucum Lindl., Bot. 

Reg. 10: 844. 1824. 

PLANT epiphytic, caespitose or straggling plants, 

small to large in size, variable in habit. PSEUDOBULBS 

unifoliate, separated by an elongate rhizome, caespitose 

or lacking pseudobulbs with erect, monopodial 

leafy shoots. Rarely with dimorphic growth. LEAVES 

conduplicate, thin or coriaceous to subcoriaceous, conduplicate. 

INFLORESCENSES produced from a leafy 

new growth. From several to many. FLORAL BRACT 

longer than the ovary. FLOWERS small and inconspicuous 

to medium sized and showy. SEPALS AND 

PETALS subsimilar, spreading. LIP often shorter than 

the other perianth parts and floral segments, lacking 

fibres, simple or three-lobed, articulated with or 

adnate to the column, usually provided at the base 

with a fleshy callus. COLUMN erect, terete. CAPSULES 

have apical dehiscence. 

Camaridium is a Neotropical genus with wide distribution 

and approximately 80 species. The highest 

diversity is found in Central America. 

1. CAMARIDIUM MICRANTHUM M.A.BLANCO, Lankesteriana 

7: 520. 2007. Scaphyglottis parviflora Poepp. 

& Endl., nov. gen. ac Sp. 1: 58, t. 97. 1835. Maxillaria 

parviflora (Poepp. & Endl.) Garay, Bot. Mus. Leafl. 

21: 258. 1967. Non Camaridium parviflorum Fawc., 

Symb. Antill. 1: 472. 1910. Type: PERU. Crescit ad 

arbores Peruviae in viciniis praedii Cuchero, floret 

Feb, Poeppig s.n. (holotype: W). (Figs 2, 3A, B). 

Description: PLANT epiphytic, pendent or suberect, to 

25 cm long. ROOTS flexuous, < 1.5 mm in diameter, 

white to greenish, with green or orange–yellowish 

tips. PSEUDOBULBS unifoliate, ovoid, pyriform, separated 

by an elongate rhizome, 2.5–6 ¥ 0.8–1.3 cm, 

internodes up to 3 cm long, covered by scarious, 

imbricate papyraceous sheaths. LEAVES apical on 


1. Plants with pseudobulbs, each with one apical leaf.................................................Camaridium micranthum 

1. Plant without pseudobulbs, the leaves distichously arranged.....................................................................2 

2. Inflorescense lateral, lip adnate to the column foot................................................Ornithidium adendrobium 

2. Inflorescence apical, lip adnate to the footless column..............................................................................3 

3. Inflorescence with one green–yellow flower < 1 cm in length, apex of column erose, lateral lobes of lip not covering 

the column apex .................................................................................................Epidendrum insulanum 

3. Inflorescence with two or more white to whitish flowers > 1 cm in length, column apex with two teeth in each side, 

lateral lobes of lip covering the column apex..........................................................................................4 

4. Leaves 1.5–2.7 cm wide, floral bracts 1.3–1.6 cm wide, broadly ovate, larger than the scurfy ovary...Epidendrum 

cocoense 

4. Leaves 1.0–1.2 cm wide, floral bracts 0.5–0.6 cm wide, tubular, as long as the glabrescent ovary......Epidendrum 

jimenezii 

each pseudobulb, petiolate, oblong–linear, acute, 

emarginate, unequally two-lobed at the apex, conduplicate, 

subcoriaceous, to approximately 10–20 ¥ 1.0– 

1.4 cm. INFLORESCENCE a single-flowered raceme, 

produced in clusters along the stem, at the base of 

each pseudobulb, covered by several scarious, imbricate, 

acute, papyraceous sheaths. PEDICEL inconspicuous. 

FLORAL BRACTS triangular, ovate, scarious. 

OVARY cylindrical, < 4 mm long. FLOWERS small, 

inconspicuous, white with a yellow dot in the lip 

callus, approximately 5 mm in length. DORSAL SEPAL 

oblong, acute, conduplicate, concave towards the 

apex, 5 ¥ 2 mm. LATERAL SEPALS narrowly ovate, 

acute, slightly conduplicate, concave, 4.5 ¥ 2.5 mm. 

PETALS narrowly oblong, acute, 3.8 ¥ 0.8 mm. LIP 

simple, spathulate, oblong, obtuse, attached to the 

column foot, conduplicate, callus laminate, 3.0 ¥ 

1.5 mm. COLUMN short, terete, to 1 mm long, anther 

apical, stigma ventral, rectangular. POLLINIA four, 

ovoid, with a short stipe, viscidium elliptic. ANTHER 

CAP subquadrate–cucullate. 

Other vouchers examined: COSTA RICA. Puntarenas: 

Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, cumbre del Cerro Iglesias, 

575 m, 5°31′45.8N, 87°04′80.5″W, bosque pluvial premontano, 

transición a basal, epífitas en Sacoglottis 

holdridgei, 15 Abril 2006, D. Bogarín 2766, G. Blanco, 

G. Gigot, V. Savolainen & J. Warner (JBL-Spirit); 

Puntarenas: Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, camino entre 

Bahía Wafer y Bahía Chatham, orillas del sendero, 

210 m, 5°32′84.07″, N 87°03′0.18″W, bosque pluvial 

premontano, transición a basal, epífitas en Sacoglottis 

holdridgei, 14 abril 2006, D. Bogarín 2766, G. Blanco, 

G.Gigot, V. Savolainen & J. Warner (JBL-Spirit); 

Puntarenas: Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, camino al 

Cerro Iglesias, ascenso en el primer mirador, 275 m, 

5°32′14.09N, 87°03′36.8″W, bosque pluvial premontano, 

transición a basal, epífitas en Sacoglottis holdridgei, 

15 abril 2006, D. Bogarín 2746, G. Blanco, 

G.Gigot, V. Savolainen & J. Warner (JBL-Spirit). Pun- 



Figure 2. Camaridium micranthum M.A.Blanco. A, habit. B, flower. C, dissected perianth. D, column and lip, lateral 

view. E, column, lateral and front views. F, pollinarium anther cap. Drawn by D. Bogarín from Bogarín 2746 (JBL-Spirit). 



Figure 3. Floral morphology of: (A, B) Camaridium micranthum; (C) Epidendrum cocoense; (D) Epidendrum insulanum; 

(E) Epidendrum jimenezii; (F) Ornithidium adendrobium. 



tarenas: Isla del Coco. Bahía Chatham, 5°32′82″N, 

82°02′17″W, c. 200 m, 12 marzo 1994, G. Dauphin 

1175 (CR, USJ); J. Gómez 18043 (CR); Quesada 1081 

(INB); A. Rojas 3659 (CR, INB); 6–8 junio 1989, R. 

Soto s.n. (USJ-49289 and 49290); along a brook 

flowing into Wafer Bay, April 18, 1930, H. K. Svenson 

334 (GH); Cocos Island. Closed canopy forest, 5°31′N, 

87°03′W, 26 January 2002, J. Trusty 104, 156, 244, 

482, and 504 (CR); Isla del Coco, diciembre 1939, 

J. Valerio 1086 and 1106 (CR). 

Distribution: this species ranges from South Florida, 

Antilles and Mexico to Honduras and from Colombia 

to Brazil. It seems oddly absent from Nicaragua to 

Panama. In Costa Rica it is known only from Cocos 

Island. 

Etymology: From the Greek micranthum, ‘small 

flower’, in allusion to the small and inconspicuous 

flowers of this species. 

Phenology: September to April 

Habitat and ecology: a common epiphyte in premontane 

rainforest, basal belt transition. It is found from 

sea level to the top of Cerro Iglesias at 585 m. They 

flower throughout the year but mostly between 

November to April Pollination is possibly carried out 

by ants (Singer, 2003). There are no bees in the island 

but there are several species of ants. Apparently, the 

plants are not self-pollinated. Some plants in cultivation 

at Lankester Botanical Garden did not produce 

fruits. 

Discussion: This is the only species on the island 

having pseudobulbs with one apical leaf and the 

pseudobulbs are produced in chains. It can be recognized 

by the inconspicuous flowers in clusters at the 

base of the pseudobulbs, the partially connate lateral 

sepals, the nearly absent mentum and the cuneate 

lip. Poeppig and Endlicher described this species in 

Nova Genera ac Species Plantarum under the name 

Scaphyglottis parviflora in 1835. The name was based 

on a plant collected in Cuchero, Peru. Garay transferred 

this species to Maxillaria (Garay, 1967). 

Molecular studies and nomenclatural changes in 

Maxillariinae Benth. & Hook.f. (Blanco et al., 2007; 

Whitten et al., 2009) revealed that this species should 

be placed under the resurrected Camaridium. Asthe 

name Camaridium parviflorum Fawc. was previously 

applied to a different species (a synonym of O. adendrobium, 

a species also occurring in the island), thus 

preventing its use in Camaridium, a new name, C. 

micranthum, was proposed by Blanco et al. (2007). 

Conservation status: This species is not rare and has 

a wide distribution range throughout Neotropics. 

In the island it is a common epiphyte. This species 

should not be regarded as endangered and may well 

fit the IUCN Least Concern (LC) category for widespread 

and abundant taxa. 

2. EPIDENDRUM L. 

EPIDENDRUM L., Sp. Pl. ed. 2: 1347. 1763., nom. cons. 

Type species: Epidendrum nocturnum Jacq., type. 

cons., Enum. Pl. Carib. 29. Jan–December 1760. 

PLANT epiphytic or rarely terrestrial herbs to subshrubs, 

small to large, variable in size and habit, 

caespitose, creeping, erect to pendent, occasionally 

with pseudobulbs. LEAVES distichously arranged 

along the stem, occasionally one apical leaf or several 

apical leaves distributed throughout the stem or 

aggregate at the apex of the stem or pseudobulb, 

conduplicate, subcoriaceous to fleshy, not petiolate. 

INFLORESCENCE apical, rarely lateral, a one- to manyflowered 

raceme, spike, panicle or umbel. FLOWERS 

resupinate or not, small to large and showy. SEPALS 

AND PETALS subsimilar, free, usually spreading; the 

lip simple or lobed, mostly united to the ventral 

portion of the column, usually with fleshy calli at the 

base. COLUMN mostly totally fused with the lip, but 

sometimes totally free or half fused with the lip just 

to the apex, often provided with a hooded clinandrium. 

POLLINIA two, four or rarely eight, waxy. 

Epidendrum is one of the largest genera of Neotropical 

orchids with more than 1500 species. The genus 

is widely distributed throughout the Neotropics, from 

North Carolina to northern Argentina including the 

Antilles. 

1. EPIDENDRUM COCOENSE HÁGSATER, Icon. Orchid. 

(Mexico) 3: pl. 325. 1999. Type: COSTA RICA, PUN- 

TARENAS, Cocos Island, along brook flowing into 

Wafer Bay, on trees, 18 April 1930, H.K. Svenson 

333 (holotype: AMES; isotypes: AMES, BKL, F). 

(Figs 3C, 4). 

Description: PLANT a large epiphyte, pendent, with 

terete, leafy stem up to 2.5 m long. Roots thick, up 

to 1–2 mm in diameter, white to greenish, with green 

tips, produced basally. STEM terete, branching, canelike, 

with lateral, secondary stems shorter than the 

main stems, each stems ending in apical inflorescences. 

LEAF SHEATHS tubular, enclosing the stem, 

laterally flattened, to 3 cm long. LEAVES many (to 30), 

distichous, distributed throughout the stem, laterally 

twisted, lanceolate, elliptic–oblong, acute, with a 

bilobed apex, conduplicate, subcoriaceous, articulate 

with the sheath involving the stem, to approximately 

5–14 ¥ 1.5–2.7 cm. INFLORESCENCE apical, racemose, 

distichous, two- to four-flowered, shorter than the 

leaves, flowering once, to 6 cm long, covered by 



Figure 4. Epidendrum cocoense Hágsater. A, habit. B, segment of the inflorescence. C, flower. D, dissected perianth. E, 

column and lip, lateral view. F, column, lateral and front views. Drawn by D. Bogarín from Bogarín 2767 (JBL-Spirit). 



imbricate sheaths, foliaceous, becoming papyraceous 

with age. PEDICEL inconspicuous, < 0.5 mm long, 

floral bracts widely ovate, longer than the ovary, 

scarious, conduplicate, acute to subacute, 2.5– 

3.3 ¥ 1.5–2.0 cm. OVARY cylindrical, to 2 ¥ 3 mm, 

scurfy. FLOWERS white–cream, approximately 

1.7 cm in length. DORSAL SEPAL subequal to the 

lateral sepals, rectangular–ovate to elliptic, acute, 

12 ¥ 5 mm. LATERAL SEPALS ovate, elliptic, acute, 

slightly mucronate, 10 ¥ 5 mm. PETALS rectangular– 

oblong, subacute, margins revolute, 10 ¥ 2.5 mm. LIP 

triangular to slightly cordate, with basal rounded 

lobes covering the column apex, subacute, callus 

basal, rectangular with erose apex touching the 

column apex and a central keel running to the lip 

apex, adnate to the column, 1.0 ¥ 0.7 cm. COLUMN 

short, straight, slightly alate, with sinuose thick 

wings, widely dilated towards the apical half in 

lateral position, with an minutely acute, triangular 

tooth on each side, 5 ¥ 4 mm, anther apical, stigma 

ventral. CLINANDRIUM reduced, erose, sinuose. 

NECTARY prominent, penetrating the ovary. POLLINIA 

four, ovoid in pairs, with caudicles. ANTHER CAP cucullate, 

four-celled. CAPSULE pyriform, 3.0 ¥ 1.5 cm. 


Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, camino al Cerro Iglesias, 

cerca de Llanos Palo de Hierro, 310 m, 5°31′55.3N, 

87°03′47.8″W, bosque pluvial premontano, transición 

a basal, epífitas en Sacoglottis holdridgei, 15 abril 

2006, D. Bogarín 2750, G. Blanco, G. Gigot, V. Savolainen 

& J. Warner (JBL-Spirit). Puntarenas: Puntarenas, 

Isla del Coco, orillas del Río Genio, camino a 

la represa, 30 m, 5°32′33.08″N, 87°03′10.3″W, bosque 

pluvial premontano, transición a basal, epífita en 

Sacoglottis holdridgei, 15 abril 2006, D. Bogarín 

2732, G. Blanco, G.Gigot, V. Savolainen & J. Warner 

(JBL-Spirit). Puntarenas: Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, 

orillas del Río Genio, cerca de la casa de máquinas 

de la planta hidroeléctrica, 15 m, 5°32′60.08″N, 


a basal, epífitas, 15 abril 2006, D. Bogarín 2767, G. 

Blanco, G. Gigot, V. Savolainen & J. Warner (JBL- 

Spirit). Puntarenas: Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, orillas 

del Río Genio, 50 m a la izquierda de la Casa de 

Máquinas, 30 m, 5°32′31.4″N, 87°03′16.7″W, bosque 

pluvial premontano, transición a basal, 18 abril 2007, 

D. Bogarín 3704, G.Gigot & J.D. Zuñiga (JBL-Spirit). 

Wafer Bay, 14 August 1973, R.L. Dressler 4471 (CR). 

Isla del Coco, bosque de Wafer, 20 m, febrero 1970, 

L.D. Gómez 3270 (CR). Isla del Coco, Bahía wafer, c. 

nivel del mar, 31 Julio 1981, J. Gómez-Laurito 6914 

(CR). Wafer Bay, June 28, 1932, J.T. Howell 10190 

(CAS). Cocos Island, December 5, 1959, W. Klawe 

1519 (US). Lépiz 339 (INB). Sendero Cerro Iglesias, 

29 June 1997, A. Rojas 3691 (CR, INB). Bahía Wafer, 

21 enero 1980, P. Sánchez-Vindas 10 (CR). Isla del 

Coco, 6–8 junio 1989, R. Soto s.n. (USJ). Cocos Island, 

along brook flowing into Wafer Bay, on trees, 18 April 

1930, H. K. Svenson 333 (AMES, BKL, F). Isla del 

Coco, 5°32′N, 87°03′W, November 2002, J. Trusty 101, 

167, 176, 184, 194, 195, 363, 387, 461, 483, 494, 496, 

501, 510, 511, 512, 520, 544, 548, 560 and 561 (CR, 

FTG). Isla del Coco, marzo 1940, J. Valerio 1108 (CR). 

Distribution: known only from Cocos Island in Costa 

Rica. Most plants are found between sea level and 

250 m elevation, but some can reach 575 m elevation 

on Cerro Iglesias. 

Etymology: from the Spanish word ‘coco’, coconut the 

name of the island to which this species is endemic. 

Habitat and ecology: A common endemic epiphyte in 

premontane rainforest, basal belt transition. Plants 

are easily found on the common Cocos Island endemic 

Sacoglottis holdridgei. They grow hanging, mostly 

(but not strictly) on the main tree trunks at 2 m or 

less above the ground in shade understorey conditions. 

However, other individuals can be found in 

exposed humid conditions around the Genio River, 

Wafer and Chatham Bays. They are recorded across 

the island, but in some areas with scattered Clusia 

rosea trees and rocky cliffs such as Punta Presidio 

there were no plants. 

Phenology: Flowers are produced from December to 

August. 

Discussion: Among the orchids of the island, E. 

cocoense can be distinguished by the large pendent 

plants up to 2.5 m long. It can be distinguished from 

E. insulanum and E. jimenezii by the larger main 

stems, its conspicuous broad floral bracts to 1.3– 

2.0 cm wide (vs. less than 0.5–0.6 cm wide in E. 

insulanum and E. jimenezii) and the scurfy ovary 

5 mm in diameter (vs. a glabrescent ovary < 2mmin 

diameter). The leaves are wider and longer, up to 

2.7 cm wide and 12.5 cm long (vs. < 1.5 cm wide and 

8 cm long in the other Epidendrum spp.). Also, it 

differs from E. insulanum in the inflorescence having 

three or four white flowers, rarely two (vs. one yellow 

flower), the column with two apical teeth in each side 

(vs. erose column apex) and the lateral lobes of lip 

covering the column apex in lateral position (vs. 

lateral lobes of lip not covering the column apex). It 

differs from E. jimenezii by the less conspicuous teeth 

at the apex of the column, the subacute lip apex and 

the wider floral bracts completely covering the ovary. 


Conservation status: The first IUCN Red List Assessment 

of E. cocoense by Trusty (2004) estimated an 

extent of occurrence (EOO) of 22.3 km 2 . Based on 

fieldwork collections during a trip in 2006, the EOO 

was calculated as 4.5 km 2 and the area of occupancy 

(AOO) in 7 km 2 . However, as E. cocoense is a common 

epiphyte in the island, its distribution in the whole 

territory is expected, with the exception of few disturbed 

areas and cliffs along the coast. If threats are 

identified in the future, then a rating of Vulnerable 

(VU) under criterion D2 may be appropriate. In 2004, 

Trusty suggested classifying this species either as 

Critically Endangered (CR) or as VU because of criterion 

B and D. The current conservation status by 

IUCN is Near Threatened (NT). 

2. EPIDENDRUM INSULANUM SCHLTR., Beih. Bot. 

Centralbl., Abt. 36(2): 404. 1918. Type: Costa Rica. 

Cordon littoral à Wafer Bay, Cocos Island (Pacific 

Ocean), January 1902, H. Pittier (n. 16350 Herb. 

Nacion. Costa Rica). Lectotype GH-3580 (=AMES- 

73449), designated by Trusty & Blanco (Epidendrum 

27: 12–13. 2005) Isosyntypes B (destroyed, drawing in 

AMES, AMES-70447), CR (two sheets), AMES [two 

sheets, GH-3581 (=AMES-70445), GH-3579 (=AMES- 

70446). (Figs 3D, 5). 

Description: PLANT epiphytic, pendent, erect or 

suberect, with terete, leafy stem to 30 cm long. Roots 

thin, < 1.5 mm in diameter, white to greenish, with 

green tips, produced basally. STEM terete, branching, 

cane-like, with lateral, secondary stems shorter than 

the main stems, each stems ending in apical inflorescences. 

LEAF SHEATHS tubular, enclosing the stem, 

laterally flattened, to 1 cm long. LEAVES many (to 18), 

distichous, distributed throughout the stem, laterally 

twisted, lanceolate, elliptic–oblong, acute, with a 

bilobed apex, conduplicate, coriaceous, articulate with 

the sheath involving the stem, greenish to yellowish, 

to c. 5–6 ¥ 2.5–1.3 cm. INFLORESCENCE apical, racemose, 

distichous, one-flowered, shorter than the 

leaves, flowering once, to 5 cm long, covered by 

imbricate sheaths, foliaceous, papyraceous with age; 

pedicel inconspicuous, < 0.5 mm long. FLORAL BRACTS 

tubular, slightly larger than the ovary, scarious, acute 

to subacute, to 6 mm long. OVARY cylindric, to 5 cm 

long. FLOWERS yellowish to lemon, approximately 

6 mm in length. DORSAL SEPAL subequal to the lateral 

sepals, ovate to elliptic, subacute, 7.5 ¥ 2.3 mm. 

LATERAL SEPALS ovate to elliptic, acute, 7.5 ¥ 2.5 mm. 

PETALS anguste–oblong to lanceolate, acute, margins 

slightly revolute, 7.0 ¥ 1.2 mm. LIP subcordate, with 

short basal rounded lobes not covering the column 

apex and produced just after the apex of the column, 

acute, callus basal, triangular with touching the 

column apex and a central keel running to the lip 

apex, adnate to the column, 6.0 ¥ 2.5 mm. COLUMN 


very short, straight, almost tubular, without teeth, 

5.0 ¥ 3.3 mm, anther apical, stigma ventral. CLINAN- 

DRIUM reduced, erose, sinuose. NECTARY prominent, 

penetrating the ovary. POLLINIA four, ovoid in pairs, 

with caudicles. ANTHER CAP cucullate, four-celled. 


Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, Llanos Palo de Hierro, 

310 m, 5°31′55.3″N, 87°03′47.8″W, bosque pluvial premontano, 

transición a basal, epífitas en Sacoglottis 

holdridgei, 16 abril 2006, D. Bogarín 2772, G. Blanco, 

G.Gigot, V. Savolainen & J. Warner (JBL-Spirit). Puntarenas: 

Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, camino al Cerro 

Iglesias, cerca de Llanos Palo de Hierro, 310 m, 

5°31′55.3″N, 87°03′47.8″W, bosque pluvial premontano, 

transición a basal, epífitas en Sacoglottis holdridgei, 

15 abril 2006, D. Bogarín 2762, G. Blanco, 

G.Gigot, V. Savolainen & J. Warner (JBL-Spirit). Puntarenas: 

Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, orillas del Río 

Genio, 50 m a la izquierda de la Casa de Máquinas, 

30 m, 5°32′31.4″N, 87°03′16.7″W, bosque pluvial premontano, 

transición a basal, 18 abril 2007, D. Bogarín 

3707, G. Gigot & J.D. Zuñiga (JBL-Spirit). Same 

locality: D. Bogarín 3705, 3708, 3702, 3706. (JBL- 

Spirit). Cocos Island, 28 march 1891, A. Agassiz s.n. 

(GH) near Wafer Bay, 14 august 1973, R.L. Dressler 

4468 (CR, PMA). 9–11 April 1979, R.B Foster 4117 (F, 

US). Isla del Coco, 31 July 1981, J. Gómez-Laurito 

6924 (CR). Río Genio, Estación Wafer, 1–10 m, 14 

abril 1994, E. Lépiz 358 (INB). Cerro Iglesias, 200– 

250 m, 22 Junio 1997, A. Rojas 3660 (F, INB). Wafer 

Bay, 18 April 1930, H. Svenson 335 (AMES, BKL, F, 

K, LE, S, UC). Isla del Coco, 5°31′N, 87°03′W, 

J. Trusty 53, 158, 218 and 500 (CR, USJ). 

Distribution: known only from Cocos Island, Costa 

Rica. 

Etymology: From the Latin insula, ‘island’, in allusion 

to Cocos Island, to which this species is endemic. 

Phenology: Apparently they flower throughout the 

year. However, plants collected and cultivated for this 

study flowered from March to July. 

Habitat and ecology: A common endemic epiphyte 

in premontane rainforest, basal belt transition. The 

habitat is mostly the same as for E. cocoense and 

sometimes they grow intermixed. They are pendent or 

suberect, growing on exposed or shady conditions in 

both shrubs and trees. Most of the plants are found 

between sea level and 300 m of elevation; however, 

they can reach 575 m on Cerro Iglesias. Pollinators 

are unknown. The three Epidendrum spp. have 

similar floral architecture. As in E. cocoense and E. 

jimenezii, plants could be pollinated by Lepidoptera. 



Figure 5. Epidendrum insulanum Schltr. A, habit. B, segment of the inflorescence. C, flower. D, dissected perianth. E, 

column and lip, lateral view. F, column, front view. Drawn by D. Bogarín from Bogarín 2772 (JBL-Spirit). 


Discussion: Epidendrum insulanum is easily distinguished 

by the inflorescences having only one, green– 

yellow flower (vs. whitish to white, and two or four in 

E. jimenezii and E. cocoense, respectively). The apex 

of column is erose, lacking the two peaks present in 

the other species. The lateral lobes of lip do not cover 

the apex of column in lateral view. The lip is smaller, 

up to 6 mm long. Sepals and petals are smaller, 

< 1 cm in length. Vegetatively, plants are smaller than 

those of E. cocoense, reaching up to 30 cm long with 

leaves < 1.5 cm wide. Some larger plants can be confused 

with E. jimenezii because of the similar size. 

Conservation status: In 2004, Trusty suggested classifying 

this species either as Critically Endangered 

CR or as VU because of criterion B and D. Based on 

herbarium specimens and field collections, she estimated 

an EOO of 18.2 km 2 . Based on field collections 

performed in 2006, the EOO was calculated as 3 km 2 

and the AOO as 7 km 2 . Although restricted in range 

and variation in EOO and AOO values, based on field 

observations it is highly probable that plants of this 

species are found on the whole island. They are not 

restricted to a particular place. The current conservation 

status by IUCN is Near Threatened (NT). 

3. EPIDENDRUM JIMENEZII HÁGSATER, Icon. Orchid. 

(Mexico) 3: pl. 341. 1999. Type: Costa Rica. Cocos 

Island, Wafer Bay, Arroyo del Genio, 13 April 1965, A. 

Jiménez M. 3178 (holotype: F isotypes: CR, MO, SEL, 

U) (Figs 3E, 6). 

Description: PLANT epiphytic, pendent, with terete, 

leafy stem to 35 cm long. ROOTS thin, < 1.5 mm in 

diameter, white to greenish, with green tips, produced 

basally. STEM terete, branching, cane-like, with 

lateral, secondary stems shorter than the main stems, 

each stem ending in apical inflorescences. LEAF 

SHEATHS tubular, enclosing the stem, laterally flattened, 

to 2 cm long. LEAVES many (to 20), distichous, 

distributed throughout the stem, laterally twisted, 

lanceolate, elliptic–oblong, acute, with a bilobed apex, 

conduplicate, coriaceous to subcoriaceous, articulate 

with the sheath involving the stem, to approximately 

6–8 ¥ 1.0–1.3 cm. INFLORESCENCE apical, racemose, 

distichous, two-flowered, shorter than the leaves, 

flowering once, to 3.1 cm long, covered by imbricate 

sheaths, foliaceous, becoming papyraceous with 

age. PEDICEL inconspicuous, < 0.5 mm long. FLORAL 

BRACTS tubular, as long as the ovary, scarious, acute 

to subacute, 0.5–0.6 cm long. OVARY cylindric, to 

1.5 cm long. FLOWERS whitish, about 1.3 cm in length. 

DORSAL SEPAL subequal to the lateral sepals, ovate to 

elliptic, acute, 9.5 ¥ 3.0 mm. LATERAL SEPALS ovate to 

elliptic, acute, 9.5 ¥ 3.0 mm. PETALS rectangular– 

oblong to lanceolate, acute to subacute, margins revolute, 

8 ¥ 2 mm. LIP cordate, with basal rounded lobes 


covering the column apex, acute, callus basal, rectangular 

with erose apex touching the column apex and 

a central keel running to the lip apex, adnate to the 

column, 7 ¥ 4 mm. COLUMN short, straight, slightly 

alate, with sinuose wings, widely dilated towards 

the apical half in lateral position, with an acute, 

triangular tooth on each side, 5.0 ¥ 2.2 mm, anther 

apical, stigma ventral. CLINANDRIUM reduced, 

sinuose. NECTARY prominent, penetrating the ovary. 

POLLINIA four, ovoid in pairs, with caudicles. ANTHER 

CAP cucullate, four-celled. 


Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, orillas del Río Genio, 

camino a la represa, 30 m, 5°32′33.08N, 87°03′10.3″W, 

bosque pluvial premontano, transición a basal, 

epífita, 13 abril 2006, D. Bogarín 2735, G. Blanco, 

G.Gigot, V. Savolainen & J. Warner (JBL-Spirit). 

Cocos Island, Wafer Bay, Arroyo del Genio, 13 April 

1965, A. Jiménez M. 3178 (CR); Wafer Bay, R.L. 

Dressler 4468 (FLAS); Cocos Island, R. Foster 4114 

(US). 

Distribution: Known only from Cocos Island, Costa 

Rica. It is restricted to the Genio River and Wafer Bay 

areas. 

Eponymy: Named in honour of Ing. Alfonso Jiménez 

Muñoz, ex-profesor of Agronomy and Biology at Universidad 

Nacional de Costa Rica and ex-director of 

the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, who collected the 

type specimen. 

Phenology: December to January. 

Habitat and ecology: a very rare endemic epiphytic 

orchid in premontane rainforest, basal belt transition. 

Only five specimens are known from the island and 

their ecology is poorly understood. As noted for the 

other Epidendrum spp., the floral architecture is 

similar and their pollinators could share the same 

characteristics. The only plant found in this study 

was growing along the path to the Genio River waterfall, 

in shady humid conditions. 

Discussion: Plants of this species are distinguished by 

the inflorescence producing two whitish flowers, the 

cordate, acute lip and the column with two acute 

teeth at apex. Compared with E. cocoense, it can be 

distinguished by its smaller habit, up to 35 cm long, 

the leaves 1.0–1.2 wide, the less conspicuous tubular 

floral bracts 0.5–0.6 cm wide and as long as the glabrescent 

ovary. Vegetatively it is similar to some 

larger plants of E. jimenezii. Large plants of E. insulanum 

are often indistinguishable from those of 

E. jimenezii. However, plants of E. jimenezii can be 



Figure 6. Epidendrum jimenezii Hágsater. A, habit. B, segment of the inflorescence. C, flower. D, dissected perianth. E, 

column and lip, lateral view. F, column, lateral and front views. Drawn by D. Bogarín from Bogarín 2735 (JBL-Spirit). 


distinguished by the inflorescences having two 

whitish flowers, > 1 cm in length, the column apex 

with two teeth in each side and the lateral lobes of lip 

covering the column apex. 

The floral features of the three Epidendrum spp. 

are similar. The only specimen collected for this study 

seems to be intermediate between E. cocoense and 

E. insulanum. Basically, the lip shape is similar to 

E. cocoense, with the same callus structure, but 

having rounded basal lobes and acute apex as in 

E. insulanum. The sepals and petals are as long as 

those of E. cocoense, but the shape is more similar to 

E. insulanum. Plant size is intermediate between the 

two species. The column shape also shares intermediate 

characteristics. The column is oblong as in 

E. insulanum but with two teeth at apex as in 

E. cocoense. 

Trusty (2006) was unable to distinguish this species 

from E. insulanum. They suggested the possibility 

that this species could be a hybrid between E. 

cocoense and E. insulanum and observations of floral 

morphology support their hypothesis. However, more 

evidence is needed to complement the morphological 

data, especially at population genetics and reproductive 

biology levels. 

Conservation status: Trusty (2004) suggested classifying 

this species as CR because of criterion B and D. 

The estimation of the EOO is < 1km 2 . This species is 

very rare and restricted to the Wafer Bay areas 

around the Genio River where it is known from less 

than five collections. This species has not been evaluated 

yet under IUCN criteria; however, it should be 

classified as CR as suggested by Trusty (2004). 

The endemic Epidendrum species: The three Epidendrum 

spp. are similar in their vegetative morphology. 

All the species have a pendent branching habit. The 

inflorescence is terminal and new branches are produced 

beneath the apex after they have flowered. The 

new branches flower again. Flowers are superficially 

similar. The lip is cordate or subcordate with the 

callus always Y-shaped. The column has a reduced 

clinandrium and shows little variation between 

species. The perianth segments show some variation 

in size and their shape varies from oblong to 

ovate–elliptic. 

Relationships with other members of the genus 

Epidendrum: According to Hágsater (2007), they are 

members of the Epidendrum ramosum Jacq. group, 

which is characterized by the monopodial branching 

stems, the spike-like distichous inflorescence and the 

lip with a single callus and the flexicaule subgroup, 


which has a straggling habit, the main stem not very 

evident and the dorsal keel present in the sepals, 

which is generally prominent. 

Epidendrum insulanum is closely related to E. 

flexicaule Schltr., E. stevensii Hágsater, E. modestiflorum 

Schltr and E. veraguasense Hágsater (Hágsater, 

2007), but they can be distinguished: E. flexicaule has 

longer leaves (up to 8.2 cm long) and two or three 

larger flowers, E. stevensii has two or three smaller 

flowers, E. modestiflorum shorter wider leaves 

(5 ¥ 15 cm) and two or three flowers and E. veraguasense 

has two or three white, larger flowers. Epidendrum 

jimenezii is perhaps closely allied to E. 

insulanum and E. cocense. Being sympatric and 

having similar plant size, E. jimenezii and E. insulanum 

are sometimes confused. 

Epidendrum cocoense is vegetatively similar to E. 

rafael-lucasii Hágsater, E. santaclarense Ames and E. 

acunae Dressler. They are found in Central America 

and Panama, with the exception of the Costa Rican 

endemic E. rafael-lucasii. According to Hágsater 

(1999a), E. rafael-lucasii has larger yellow flowers (vs. 

white), sepals 16–20 mm long (vs. 12 mm in E. 

cocoense) and the column is blunt at the apex (vs. 

with two teeth at each side of apex). Epidendrum 

santaclarense has deep green flowers (vs. white) and 

E. acunae has shorter stems and very short flowering 

stems. 

Pollination of endemic species of Epidendrum: The 

pollination biology is unknown. Epidendrum spp. 

have a deep tube inside the ovary, sometimes with 

free nectar. The lip and column made up a simple 

horizontal tube, with the free part of the lip used as 

an appendage for pollinator attraction. Some species 

of Lepidoptera, mainly moths, are important pollinators 

of members of subtribe Laeliinae Benth., including 

Epidendrum (van der Pijl & Dodson, 1966). The 

white to whitish flowers of E. cocoense produce a 

perceptible sweet smell and they could attract some 

species of moths or butterflies. Nearly 100 species 

of Lepidoptera are recorded from Cocos Island and 

moths are the largest group (Brown, Donahue & 

Miller, 1991; Brown & Miller, 1999). As there are no 

bees in the island, it is highly probable that the 

Epidendrum spp. are pollinated by Lepidoptera. Selfpollination 

was not observed and plants in cultivation 

flowered without producing fruits. 

3. ORNITHIDIUM SALISB. EX R.BR. 

ORNITHIDIUM SALISB. EX R.BR., Hort. Kew. ed. 2, 5: 

210. 1813. Type species: Epidendrum coccineum Jacq., 

Enum. Syst. Pl. 29. 1760. = Ornithidium coccineum 

(Jacq.) Salisb., Trans. Hort. Soc. London 1: 293. 1812. 

EPIPHYTIC, sympodial (caespitose to rhizomatous) 

or monopodial plants; rarely with dimorphic growth. 



The thick roots with an orangish coloration. STEMS 

cane-like with distichous leaves or with pseudobulbs 

bearing basal and apical leaves. The stems and leaves 

of most species have an olive green coloration. LEAVES 

conduplicate, coriaceous to subcoriaceous. INFLORES- 

CENCES usually fascicled, pedicel and ovary longer 

than the floral bract. FLOWERS usually small, fleshy, 

campanulate or subglobose, the perianth lacks fibres; 

many species have yellow, orange, red, tan, green or 

pink flowers. SEPALS AND PETALS subsimilar, spreading. 

LIP simple or three- or four-lobed, articulated 

with or adnate to the column, usually provided at the 

base with a fleshy callus and often producing nectar 

at the base of the labellum. COLUMN erect, terete. 

CAPSULES have apical dehiscence. 

Ornithidium is a widely distributed genus throughout 

the Neotropics with approximately 60 species. 

1. ORNITHIDIUM ADENDROBIUM (RCHB.F.) 

M.A.BLANCO &OJEDA, Lankesteriana 7: 532. 2007. 

Ponera adendrobium Rchb.f., Flora 48: 278. 1865. 

Pleuranthium adendrobium (Rchb.f.) Benth. & 

Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks., Index Kew. 2: 562. 1894. Neourbania 

adendrobium (Rchb.f.) Fawc. & Rendle, J. 

Bot. 47: 125 1909. Type: CUBA. 1860–1864, C. H. 

Wright 1697 (holotype: W; isosintypes: AMES, BM, K, 

MO). Camaridium parviflorum Fawc. in I. Urban, 

Symb. Antill. 1: 472. 1900. (Figs 3F, 7). 

Description: PLANT epiphytic, erect or suberect, with 

terete, leafy stem, to 60 cm long. ROOTS flexuous, 

less < 1.5 mm in diameter, orangish to whitish. STEM 

without pseudobulbs, terete, leafy, covered by 

addressed leaf sheaths, scarious at base, foliaceous 

towards the apex, producing secondary branches, 

with adventitious roots produced at bases of leaf 

nodes. LEAVES many (to 25), distichous, narrowly 

oblong to anguste–elliptic, acute, conduplicate, fleshy, 

flexible, articulate with the sheath involving the 

stem, to c. 11.0 ¥ 1.6 cm. INFLORESCENCE a singleflowered 

raceme usually larger than the leaves, produced 

along the stem, in the axils of the leaves, c. 

2 cm long. PEDICEL inconspicuous, < 0.5 mm long. 

FLORAL BRACTS ovate, foliaceous. OVARY cylindric, 

< 4 mm long, glabrous. FLOWERS small, inconspicuous, 

c. 6 mm in length, yellowish to cream–yellow 

or greenish. DORSAL SEPAL subequal to the lateral 

sepals, oblong–elliptic, acute or slightly acuminate, 

6 ¥ 2 mm. LATERAL SEPALS oblong–elliptic, acute, 

subfalcate, 6 ¥ 2 mm. PETALS ovate–lanceolate, acute, 

parallel to the column, 5.0 ¥ 1.7 mm. LIP ovate, lobed, 

sinuose, retuse, margin erose, callous laminar in the 

centre, with two parallel keels running to the apex, 

attached to the column foot. COLUMN short, terete, 

slightly arcuate, to 3 mm long; stigma ventral, widely 

obovate, anther terminal. POLLINIA two. ANTHER CAP, 

cucullate. CAPSULE pyriform to 1.7 cm long. 


Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, camino al Cerro Iglesias, 

cerca de Llanos Palo de Hierro, 310 m, 5°31′55.3″N, 


a basal, epífitas en Sacoglottis holdridgei, 15 abril 

2006, D. Bogarín 2755, G. Blanco, G. Gigot, V. Savolainen 

& J. Warner (JBL-Spirit). Same locality, D. 

Bogarín 2759 (JBL-Spirit). Puntarenas, Isla del Coco, 

December 2003, J. Trusty 495 (JBL-Spirit). Same 

locality: J. Trusty 52 (JBL-Spirit). Isla del Coco: Wafer 

Bay, 14 august 1973, R.L. Dressler 4470 (CR). Isla del 

Coco, J. Trusty 52, 100, 157, 495, 515, 556, 564 (CR). 

december 2003, J. Trusty 52 and 495 (JBL-spirit). Isla 

del Coco, región de los Llanos y subiendo a Cerro 

Pelón, 5°32′15″N 87°03′29″W, 200–250 m, 29 junio 

1997, A. Rojas 3692 (INB). 6–8 junio 1989, R. Soto 

s.n. (USJ-49286). 

Distribution: This is a widespread species ranging 

from Mexico and the Antilles throughout Central and 

South America. 

Etymology: Made up by the Latin prefix ‘a’, ‘away 

from’ and the name of the genus Dendrobium. According 

to Reichenbach (1865), the specimen he studied 

‘has all characteristics of Dendrobium, therefore the 

name’. 

Phenology: The plants have been recorded in flower 

throughout the year, mostly between September and 

April 

Habitat and ecology: Plants are frequent in the 

island. They are mostly found from 250 to 585 m of 

elevation, up to the top of Cerro Iglesias. It is rarely 

found at sea level. Some plants are probably selfpollinated 

because they form capsules quickly and 

regularly in almost all flowers. In the field, small ants 

were observed around the flowers but without pollinia. 

Capsules are seen throughout the year. 

Discussion: Plants have distichously arranged leaves 

without pseudobulbs. Compared with Epidendrum 

spp., it is easily recognized by the lateral singleflowered 

inflorescences and the footed column. It is 

distinguished from C. micranthum by its larger habit, 

without pseudobulbs and the stem with distichously 

arranged leaves. The small flowers do not have the 

lip adnate to the column foot. This species was previously 

treated in Maxillaria; however, nomenclatural 

changes in Maxillariinae suggest its inclusion in 

Ornithidium (Blanco et al., 2007; Whitten et al., 

2009). 



Figure 7. Ornithidium adendrobium (Rchb.f.) M.A.Blanco & Ojeda. A, habit. B, flowers. C, dissected perianth. D, column 

and lip, lateral view. E, column, lateral and front view. Drawn by D. Bogarín from Bogarín 2755 (JBL-Spirit). 



Conservation status: This species has a wide distribution 

range throughout the Neotropics. It is common 

in the island. It should not be regarded as endangered 

and may well fit the LC category for widespread and 

abundant taxa. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

The present paper is part of the Project 814-BO-245, 

‘La flora de orquídeas del Parque Nacional Isla del 

Coco’ sponsored by the Vice Presidency of Research, 

University of Costa Rica and ‘Conservation and Monitoring 

of Meso-American Orchids’ supported by the 

Darwin Initiative, Department for Environment Food 

and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), UK. We thank the Costa 

Rican Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), 

the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) 

throughout Área de Conservación Marina Isla del 

Coco (ACMIC) for issuing the Resolution Permit no. 

002-06 and the Scientific Passport no. 1281, under 

which the material was collected and studied, Mario 

Blanco and Robert L. Dressler for useful discussions 

and digital images of critical specimens, the curators 

of AMES, BM, CAS, CR, INB, JBL, K, PMA and USJ, 

the crew of Okeanos for providing transportation and 

facilities to the island, the park guards and personnel 

of Cocos Island National Park, especially Isaac Chinchilla, 

German Haugh and Lourdes Vargas for granting 

access to the island and help with fieldwork 

logistics, Guillermo Blanco who shared his knowledge 

and most of the fieldwork and Guillaume Gigot and 

Jose Daniel Zúñiga for helping during the fieldwork 

activities. 

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The orchid flora of Cocos Island National Park ... - Epidendra

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